New Taipei:A man was discovered dead on a bus in New Taipei on Sunday, days after he boarded, resulting in a fine for the bus operator, authorities reported.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taipei City government announced that after investigating the incident, the Public Transportation Office imposed a NT$30,000 (US$943.93) fine on the bus operator, Sindian Bus.
The incident came to light when a passenger boarding in Xindian District of New Taipei reported to the driver at around 7 a.m. on Sunday that a man appeared to be unconscious. The driver then contacted the police and emergency services.
Upon arrival, the New Taipei City Police Department's Xindian Precinct confirmed that the man was deceased. A forensic examination found no signs of trauma, ruling out foul play for the time being. An autopsy has been ordered by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office to determine the cause of death.
Police investigations revealed that the man had boarded the bus on Thursday evening at approximately 8:40 p.m. at the Qingtan Parking Lot stop in Xindian. The bus completed its route and returned to the terminal at around 10:30 p.m., with the man still aboard. Surveillance footage confirmed the bus remained parked at the terminal until it resumed service on Sunday morning at 6:45 a.m.
Sindian Bus President Kao Tsan-huang stated that internal video footage showed the driver, surnamed Chen, failed to notice the man when he checked the bus on Thursday night before closing it up for the long Moon Festival weekend. Chen was unaware of the situation until the report on Sunday.
The bus company expressed its commitment to cooperating with the police investigation and plans to enhance driver training to ensure thorough bus checks. Meanwhile, Chen has been suspended from driving duties, as it is believed he may have experienced trauma due to the incident.
The company assured that the bus would be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before resuming service. Kuo Chien-chen from the Taipei City Public Transportation Office emphasized that bus operators are required to ensure drivers adequately clear buses at the end of service routes, and the fine was imposed under the Highway Act for failing to meet these responsibilities.